Fluid compensation container

Abstract

To provide a fluid compensation container to compensate for changes in the volume of cooling fluid in a fluid circuit for liquid immersion cooling of a vehicle battery.SOLUTION: A fluid compensation container (1) includes housings (3, 4) and walls (12, 13) that divide the housings (3, 4) into a plurality of partitioned chambers (14, 15). The partitioned chambers (14, 15) are fluidically connected via openings (16) formed as slits (17) on the walls (12, 13).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a fluid compensation container for compensating for volume changes of a cooling fluid in a fluid circuit for immersion cooling of a battery of a vehicle according to the preamble of claim 1 .

[0002] The vehicle battery may be immersion cooled by a cooling fluid, for example oil, in a fluid circuit. In this case, the fill level of the cooling fluid must be compensated for due to temperature-induced volume changes. To achieve this function, the fluid circuit typically includes a fluid compensation vessel. An excess amount of cooling fluid may be stored, at least temporarily, in the fluid compensation vessel. Since the fluid compensation vessel is usually not completely filled, any movement of the fluid compensation vessel also causes the cooling fluid to move within the fluid compensation vessel. This results in an unpleasant so-called sloshing noise, which must be avoided.

[0003] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved or at least alternative embodiment of the fluid compensation container of the type described at the beginning, in which the aforementioned disadvantages are eliminated.

[0004] This problem is solved according to the invention by the subject matter of independent claim 1. Advantageous embodiments are the subject matter of the dependent claims.

[0005] The invention is based on the general idea of providing an inner wall in the fluid compensation vessel, through which passages are provided to ensure uniform flow through the fluid compensation vessel.

[0006] The fluid compensation container according to the present invention is provided or designed to compensate for volume changes of a cooling fluid in a fluid circuit for immersion cooling a vehicle battery. The fluid compensation container has at least one storage chamber for storing a cooling fluid and at least one wall. One of the walls is arranged in at least one of the storage chambers, and the storage chamber is divided by the wall into at least two sub-chambers. The wall has at least one opening, and adjacent sub-chambers of the storage chamber are fluidly connected via at least one of the openings. Preferably, the opening may be located at the lowest point of at least one of the sub-chambers fluidly connected by the opening when the fluid compensation container is oriented in a direction suitable for operation.

[0007] In the fluid compensation container according to the invention, the walls prevent sloshing of the cooling fluid in the chamber. In particular, the cooling fluid can be distributed among the sub-chambers of the chamber, thereby reducing the intensity of sloshing noise. The cooling fluid can flow freely between the sub-chambers through the openings in the walls, so that there is always cooling fluid at the outlet of the fluid compensation container to flow into the fluid circuit.

[0008] In one possible embodiment, at least one of the openings in the wall may be formed by a slit. When the fluid compensation container is oriented in a direction suitable for operation, the slit in the wall may extend from above to the lowest point of at least one of the two partial chambers fluidly connected by the slit. The slit allows the cooling fluid to flow particularly easily and quickly between the partial chambers, and a uniform flow through the fluid compensation container can be easily achieved. By having the slit extend to the lowest point of one of the two partial chambers, it can also be ensured that the cooling fluid does not remain in any of the partial chambers. This makes it possible to prevent pools of water in the individual partial chambers and to achieve complete emptying of the fluid compensation container.

[0009] Additionally, it may be specified that the wall has raised portions molded into both edges that define the slit, which may in particular extend over the entire length of the slit, and which may stabilize or reinforce the slit and thus the wall.

[0010] In one possible embodiment, the fluid compensation container has a housing that defines the receiving chamber on the outside. The wall can be formed separately from the housing and be materially connected to the housing, preferably welded. This makes it particularly easy to manufacture the fluid compensation container.

[0011] In one possible embodiment, the fluid compensation container may have a housing with an upper part and a lower part. In this case, the storage chamber may be molded partly in the upper part and partly in the lower part. In this case, the wall may have an upper wall section arranged in the upper part and a lower wall section arranged in the lower part. The upper wall section and the lower wall section of the wall may be supported by each other, so that the individual partial chambers may be molded partly in the upper part and partly in the lower part. This can simplify the production of the fluid compensation container. Furthermore, this can completely divide the storage chamber into partial chambers, so that at each filling level of the cooling fluid in the fluid compensation container, the cooling fluid is distributed to the individual partial chambers and is not located in a single common volume.

[0012] In this case, the upper part of the housing and the lower part of the housing may be formed separately from one another and be connected to one another in a material-tight manner, preferably by welding. The upper wall section of the wall and the lower wall section of the wall may be formed separately from one another and be connected to one another in a material-tight manner, preferably by welding. This simplifies the manufacture of the housing and the wall, and allows the housing and the wall to be connected to one another reliably.

[0013] If the wall has at least one of the above-mentioned slits, at least one of the slits may have an upper slit section formed in an upper wall section of the wall and a lower slit section formed in a lower wall section of the wall. In this case, the upper slit section and the lower slit section of the slit may be offset from each other. In other words, the slit may be interrupted or may not be continuous. This can ensure a sufficiently high strength of the fluid compensation container, and in particular can increase the rigidity of the lateral components of the fluid compensation container.

[0014] The terms "upper" and "lower" used herein refer to the fluid compensation vessel in an operational orientation, in which the "upper" element is located above the "lower" element.

[0015] Advantageously, each sub-chamber of the storage chamber can be fluidly connected to all of its adjacent sub-chambers. This makes it particularly easy to achieve uniform flow through the fluid compensation container. Furthermore, adjacent sub-chambers of the storage chamber can be fluidly connected to each other exclusively via at least one of the openings. It is also possible for the storage chamber to be completely divided into individual sub-chambers. Furthermore, walls can divide the storage chamber into a total of six or nine sub-chambers. Furthermore, all of the sub-chambers of the storage chamber can have the same shape and / or the same volume and / or the same cross-sectional area. Furthermore, at least one of the sub-chambers of the storage chamber can be at least partially filled with an open-cell foam material. Due to its structure, this open-cell foam material allows the flow of cooling fluid between the sub-chambers, but advantageously prevents sloshing within the sub-chambers.

[0016] In one possible embodiment, it may be specified that the fluid compensation container may have exactly two chambers. In this case, the first chamber may be designed to receive cooling fluid from the fluid circuit, and the second chamber may be designed to receive excess cooling fluid from the first chamber. In this case, the fluid compensation container may have an overflow passage, and the first and second chambers may be fluidly connected to each other exclusively via the overflow passage. The fluid compensation container may further have exactly two walls. In this case, the first chamber may be divided into at least two partial chambers by the first wall, and the second chamber may be divided into at least two partial chambers by the second wall. The first chamber may have an inlet for introducing cooling fluid from the fluid circuit and an outlet for discharging cooling fluid into the fluid circuit. In this case, the inlet and the outlet may fluidly open into one and the same partial chamber of the container. In this case, the outlet may be arranged at the lowest point of the first receiving chamber in one of the partial chambers when the fluid compensation container is oriented in a direction suitable for operation.

[0017] Further important features and advantages of the invention emerge from the dependent claims, the drawings and the corresponding description of the drawings based on the drawings.

[0018] Naturally, the features mentioned above and those further described below can be used not only in the combinations described respectively, but also in other combinations or alone, without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0019] Preferred embodiments of the present invention are illustrated in the drawings and will be explained in detail in the following description, wherein like reference numerals refer to identical or similar or functionally identical elements. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic view of a fluid compensation container according to the present invention in a first embodiment. [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a fluid compensation container according to the present invention in a first embodiment. [Figure 3] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a fluid compensation container according to the present invention in a first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a fluid compensation container according to the present invention in a second embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a fluid compensation container according to the present invention in a second embodiment. [Figure 6] 5 is a schematic view of the lower part of the housing of a fluid compensation container according to the present invention in a second embodiment. FIG. [Figure 7] 4 is a schematic view of the upper part of the housing of a fluid compensation container according to the present invention in a second embodiment. FIG.

[0021] Figure 1 shows a diagram of a fluid compensation vessel 1 according to the invention in a first embodiment, which is designed or provided for compensating for volume changes of a cooling fluid in a fluid circuit for immersion cooling of a vehicle battery. In Figure 1, the fluid compensation vessel 1 is oriented in a suitable direction for operation with respect to the gravitational force G of the Earth.

[0022] In this case, the fluid compensation container 1 has a housing 2 with an upper part 2a and a lower part 2b that are fluid-tightly connected, for example welded, to each other. The fluid compensation container 1 has a first storage chamber 3 and a second storage chamber 4 that are fluidly connected to each other via an overflow passage 5. In this case, the overflow passage 5 is molded in such a way that excess cooling fluid from the first storage chamber 3 can flow into the second storage chamber 4 and cannot flow back. This ensures that excess cooling fluid generated by volume changes due to temperature and / or degradation is stored in the second storage chamber 4. In this case, the first storage chamber 3, the second storage chamber 4, and the overflow passage 5 are molded in the housing 2. This housing 2 may be molded, for example, from plastic.

[0023] The first storage chamber 3 has an inlet 3a leading to the storage chamber 3 from the outside and an outlet 3b leading from the first storage chamber 3 to the outside. The first storage chamber 3 of the fluid compensation container 1 is integrated into the fluid circuit via the inlet 3a and the outlet 3b. For this purpose, the inlet 3a and the outlet 3b may be fluidly connectable to other components of the fluid circuit. In this case, the fluid circuit and the other components of the fluid circuit are not part of the present invention. In this case, the cooling fluid can flow from the fluid circuit into the first storage chamber 3 or the fluid compensation container 1 via the inlet 3a, and then the cooling fluid can flow from the first storage chamber 3 or the fluid compensation container 1 into the fluid circuit via the outlet 3b. When the fluid compensation container 1 is oriented in a direction suitable for operation, the outlet 3b is located in the center, preferably at the lowest point of the first storage chamber 3.

[0024] The fluid container 1 further has a water flow-down opening 6 that leads from the first storage chamber 3 to the outside. Water collected in the first storage chamber 3 may be allowed to flow down through the water flow-down opening 6. This water flow-down opening 6 is preferably located at the lowest point of the first storage chamber 3 when the fluid compensation container 1 is oriented in a direction suitable for operation.

[0025] The fluid compensation container 1 further has an outlet opening 7 leading from the second storage chamber 4 to the outside. This outlet opening 7 is preferably located at the lowest point of the second storage chamber 4 when the fluid compensation container 1 is oriented in a direction suitable for operation. Furthermore, the fluid compensation container 1 is equipped with a filling level measuring sensor 8 which detects the filling level of excess cooling fluid in the second storage chamber 4. If the second storage chamber 4 is full, the user can be informed via a signal from the filling level measuring sensor 8 and can manually guide the excess cooling fluid outwards from the second storage chamber 4 or from the fluid compensation container 1 via the outlet opening 7.

[0026] Furthermore, the fluid compensation container 1 has a ventilation channel 9 leading from the first storage chamber 3 to the outside. The first storage chamber 3 can be connected to an air compensation container via the ventilation channel 9, so that pressure differences resulting from different filling levels of cooling fluid in the first storage chamber 3 can be compensated for. In this case, the air compensation container is not part of the present invention.

[0027] The fluid compensation vessel 1 further has a closure screw 10 and an opening 11. This opening 11 leads from the first receiving chamber 3 to the outside and is closed by the closure screw 10. The fluid compensation vessel 1 and thus the fluid circuit can be filled with a cooling fluid via the opening 11.

[0028] FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of a fluid compensation vessel 1 according to the present invention in a first embodiment, and FIG. 3 shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of the fluid compensation vessel 1 according to the present invention in the first embodiment. As can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the fluid compensation vessel 1 has a first wall 12 and a second wall 13. The first wall 12 is arranged in the first storage chamber 3 and divides the first storage chamber 3 into a plurality of partial chambers 14 (nine in the illustrated configuration). The second wall 13 is arranged in the second storage chamber 4 and divides the second storage chamber 4 into a plurality of partial chambers 15 (six in the illustrated configuration). In this case, the walls 12, 13 have a plurality of openings 16 that fluidly connect the individual partial chambers 14, 15 to one another. In the first embodiment of the fluid compensation vessel 1, these openings 16 are shaped as slits 17.

[0029] The slits 17 are oriented vertically with respect to the Earth's gravitational force G when the fluid compensation vessel 1 is oriented in a direction suitable for operation, and are continuous from top to bottom over the entire height of the walls 12, 13. The walls 12, 13 have ridges 18 molded into the edges that define each slit 17. The ridges 18 stabilize each slit 17, thereby reinforcing the walls 12, 13.

[0030] In this case, the walls 12, 13 and the slit 17 are molded partly in the upper part 2a of the housing 2 and partly in the lower part 2b of the housing. Accordingly, the wall 12 comprises an upper wall section 12a in the upper part 2a of the housing 2 and a lower wall section 12b in the lower part 2b of the housing 2. Similarly, the wall 13 comprises an upper wall section 13a in the upper part 2a of the housing 2 and a lower wall section 13b in the lower part 2b of the housing 2. In this case, the wall sections 12a, 12b and the wall sections 13a, 13b are supported by one another and may be welded to one another, for example. The slits 17 each comprise an upper slit section 17a and a lower slit section 17b. In this case, the slit sections 17a, 17b of each slit 17 are molded offset from one another, so that the slits 17 are not continuous or are interrupted. This makes it possible to stabilize or reinforce the walls 12, 13 and the fluid compensation vessel 1 as a whole.

[0031] Figures 4 and 5 show views of a fluid compensation vessel 1 according to the invention in a second embodiment. Unlike the first embodiment, in the second embodiment the fluid compensation vessel 1 comprises a housing 2 and a passage cover 19. In this case, the overflow passage 5 and the vent passage 9 are molded between the housing 2 or the upper part 2a of the housing 2 and the passage cover 19. Figures 4 and 5 also show a shut-off valve 20.

[0032] Figure 6 shows a view of the lower part 2b of the housing 2 of a fluid compensation vessel 1 according to the invention in a second embodiment, and Figure 7 shows a view of the upper part 2a of the housing 2 of a fluid compensation vessel 1 according to the invention in a second embodiment. In contrast to the first embodiment, in the second embodiment the openings 16 in the walls 12, 13 are shaped as through holes 21. In this case, these holes 21 are shaped at the lowest points of the partial chambers 14, 15, respectively. In other respects, both embodiments correspond to each other.

Claims

1. A fluid compensation vessel (1) for compensating for volume changes of a cooling fluid in a fluid circuit for immersion cooling a battery of a vehicle, comprising: The fluid compensation vessel (1) has at least one chamber (3, 4) for containing the cooling fluid and at least one wall (12, 13), One of the walls (12, 13) is arranged in at least one of the storage chambers (3, 4), and the storage chamber (3, 4) is divided into at least two partial chambers (14, 15) by the wall (12, 13). In the fluid compensation vessel (1), The walls (12, 13) have at least one opening (16), and adjacent partial chambers (14, 15) of the storage chambers (3, 4) are fluidly connected to each other via at least one of the openings (16).

2. At least one of the openings (16) in the walls (12, 13) is formed by a slit (17); When the fluid compensation vessel (1) is oriented in a direction suitable for operation, the slits (17) in the walls (12, 13) extend from above to the lowest point of at least one of the partial chambers (14, 15) fluidly connected by the slits. A fluid compensation vessel (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that it is

3. 3. A fluid compensation vessel (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the walls (12, 13) have raised portions (18) molded on both edges that define the slits (17).

4. The fluid compensation vessel (1) has a housing (2) with an upper part (2a) and a lower part (2b), and the storage chambers (3, 4) are molded partly in the upper part (2a) and partly in the lower part (2b), The walls (12, 13) have upper wall sections (12a, 13a) arranged in the upper part (2a) and lower wall sections (12b, 13b) arranged in the lower part, The upper wall sections (12a, 13a) of the walls (12, 13) and the lower wall sections (12b, 13b) of the walls (12, 13) are supported by one another, so that the individual partial chambers (14, 15) are formed partly in the upper section (2a) and partly in the lower section (2b). A fluid compensation vessel (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it comprises a fluid compensation vessel (1).

5. the upper part (2a) of the housing (2) and the lower part (2b) of the housing (2) are formed separately from each other and are materially connected to each other, preferably welded, and / or The upper wall sections (12a, 13a) of the walls (12, 13) and the lower wall sections (12b, 13b) of the walls (12, 13) are formed separately from one another and are materially connected to one another, preferably welded.

5. A fluid compensation vessel (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that it is

6. At least one of the slits (17) in the walls (12, 13) has an upper slit section (17a) formed in the upper wall section (12a, 13a) of the wall (12, 13) and a lower slit section (17b) formed in the lower wall section (12b, 13b) of the wall (12, 13); The upper slit section (17a) of the slit (17) and the lower slit section (17b) of the slit (17) are offset from each other. A fluid compensation vessel (1) according to at least claims 2 and 4.

7. The fluid compensation vessel (1) has a housing (2) that defines the storage chambers (3, 4) to the outside, The walls (12, 13) are formed separately from the housing (2) and are materially connected, preferably welded, to the housing (2). A fluid compensation vessel (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it is

8. 8. The fluid compensation container (1) according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the sub-chambers (14, 15) of the storage chamber (3, 4) is at least partially filled with an open-cell foam material.

9. each partial chamber (14, 15) of the chamber (3, 4) is fluidly connected to all of the partial chambers (14, 15) adjacent to it, and / or all the partial chambers (14, 15) of the receiving chamber (3, 4) have the same shape and / or the same volume and / or the same cross-sectional area; and / or the walls (12, 13) divide the chamber (3, 4) into a total of six or a total of nine sub-chambers (14, 15); and / or the receiving chamber (3, 4) is completely divided into the individual sub-chambers (14, 15), and / or The adjacent partial chambers (14, 15) of the storage chamber (3, 4) are fluidly connected to each other only via at least one of the openings (16). A fluid compensation vessel (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it is

10. the fluid compensation vessel (1) has exactly two chambers (3, 4), the first chamber (3) being designed to receive the cooling fluid from the fluid circuit and the second chamber (4) being designed to receive the cooling fluid in excess of the first chamber (3); The fluid compensation container (1) has an overflow passage (5), and the first storage chamber (3) and the second storage chamber (4) are fluidly connected to each other only via the overflow passage (5); The fluid compensation vessel (1) has exactly two walls (12, 13), the first storage chamber (3) being divided into at least two partial chambers (14) by the first wall (12), and the second storage chamber (4) being divided into at least two partial chambers (15) by the second wall (13). A fluid compensation vessel (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it is

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